On the 100th day of his presidency, Egypt's state leader Mohamed Morsi issued a blanket pardon, Monday evening, for all citizens arrested during protests held since the start of the January 25 Revolution until 30 June this year, when he was inaugurated. The pardon, according to the presidential decree, includes those who are currently facing trial as well as those already serving jail sentences.

"The blanket pardon applies to whoever been sentenced during the January 25 Revolution while trying to support the revolution," the presidential decree read, adding that the amnesty excludes those convicted of murder.

The statement further added that a list of those receiving pardons will be published by the public prosecutor and military attorney general in the official government gazette within a month, urging whoever is missing from the list to file a petition with the government.

Morsi's legal consultant Mohamed Gadallah to Al-Jazeera Mubasha Misr, Monday evening, that the pardon will include military officers who were arrested for participating in pro-revolution protests.

On 29 September an order was issued by Defence Minister General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to reduce the sentences of 21 officers, jailed by the former Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) for joining a demonstration on 8 April 2011 against the then-ruling military council, to suspended one-year prison terms.

The pardon was largely positively received. Prominent Egyptian journalist Hamdi Kandil commented on Twitter that: "revolutionaries have not waited for any decision as much as they have waited for today's decision by Morsi to pardon all political prisoners."

Meanwhile, activist and leading member of No to Military Trials for Civilians campaign Mona Seif welcomed the decision on her Twitter account but said it does not go far enough.

"The text states that the pardon only applies to those who were arrested in pro-revolution events, which means that citizens who have been unjustly tried by military courts over a fight or children arrested for non-political reasons are not included in that pardon," Seif said.

Seif told Ahram Online that given that the pardon is restricted to the time period from 25 January 2011 to 30 June 2012, those arrested during the recent clashes at the US embassy will also not be released.

The decree was issued after 18 months of continued campaigns by different rights groups pressuring the Egyptian government to release political prisoners.

President Mohamed Morsi had also formed a "Civil Rights Protection" committee after assuming office that was tasked with investigating cases of civilians detained by military authorities.

Revolutionary groups and opposition political parties have planned national demonstrations on Friday which would call on president Morsi to release all those arrested by the government for taking part in the revolution or protests afterwards.

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Please Wait

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Timmy

09-10-2012 08:01pm

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BLASPHEMY LAW

Blasphemy laws can not work in democracy, even the the profet mohamed did not act against those who insulted him. If someone does not like your religion ignore the like the prophet did. Blasphemy laws are just TO CONTROL the masses and scare them.

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Timmy

09-10-2012 07:59pm

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No Black glasses

You need to take of your imagination. under Morsi the real freedoms someone can enjoy like speech and religion are being threatened. They RELEASED TERRORISTS, Gama Ismaleya onto the streets, they fund a terrorist organiazation Hamas, they are adding national debt to keep themselves going!! They want to work with IRAN a nation that oppresses its people. They allow children and athiests to be arrested.

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Sarah

09-10-2012 10:35pm

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We need facts not thoughts

Can you please tell us exactly WHO released Games ISlamic members as far as we know they already spent their years of prison for their crimes and they imprisoned by Mubarak regime after they already spent their period just because he want that and by the way who killed President Sadat they were already released after Jan Revolution and before June election and who were released because they were accused of trying assassination

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Timmy

09-10-2012 11:07am

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Falling apart

LOL
Economy is not improving. The national debt is rising higher than ever. Morsi even used the banks liquidity to finance the government which means all foreign investment has stopped as they dont trust Egypt.
Security has not improved, the MOI have returned just as they were and just as violent. NO ACTUAL police WORK!! And frankly no one feels safe as not all the police are back they just borught back alot of traffic police.
Our basic CIVIL LIBERTIES are being taken away!!

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Sarah

09-10-2012 05:01pm

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take off your black glasses

You will not see anything improving as long as you are wearing black glasses,a lot of people reported that security has been improved you can not generalize your point of view The main problem when you can not go beyond election results and forget about if you like the president or not if you do not help your self no one can help you because you will always see everything bad even if the improvement was %10 not %40 or %70 at least there is improvement we need to help to increase it not just be negative and whine

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Seham

09-10-2012 07:43am

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Good job and waiting for more because there is no patience

Good job Dr.Morsi we knew that you will do it,the problem in Egypt that everyone see that his problem is the priority and it has to come first and everyone wants to protest and knowing that is thousands of problems are there Egyptians need a president that work 72 hours a day to triple actions and fulfill demands

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Timmy

08-10-2012 10:49pm

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Political Ploy

Lets remember he also allowed Children to be put into prison and Christians arrested. He also released known terrorists and choose not to release these people till NOW why ? because the country is falling a part and he is scared of what will happen next.

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A.K.

09-10-2012 12:26pm

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Dear Timmy

No children are in jail (they were released). Every small step in the right direction needs to be applauded. What you call terrorists could be political prisoners. A sign of true democracy is releasing all political prisoners. As for religious defamation and incitment, and if the case is judged by the Court, then 5-10 years in jail is a good punishment for any person from any religious belief.

shujath

09-10-2012 08:34am

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The Opposition is falling apart due to Morsi's popularity

From what angle the country is falling apart ? Security and Economy both are slowly improving. I think , the Opposition parties are falling apart due to immense popularity of President Morsi. He has done a lot of things in just 3 months that no where in world , were achieved in recent history.